FULL ANSWER

The Hindu-Arabic numeral system was developed about 2,000 years ago, reportedly first in India, and then in Mesopotamia — which is where the modern-day countries of Iraq and Syria are located — before spreading to Europe and other parts of the world.

The website that originally posted the bogus story, America’s Last Line of Defense, is part of a network of sites that describe its content as “satire” aimed at provoking conservative readers. The story also claims that California law now “requires that students in 4th grade learn about Islam and Sharia Law, saving Christianity for the 7th Grade.”

That network of websites frequently publishes stories about Islamic culture, which are often copied by other sites and re-posted without a satire disclaimer.